Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	king_n	knight_n	sir_n	9,202	5	6.8805	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20116	The most cruell and bloody murther committed by an Inkeepers wife, called Annis Dell, and her sonne George Dell, foure yeeres since On the bodie of a childe, called Anthony Iames in Bishops Hatfield in the countie of Hartford, and now most miraculously reuealed by the sister of the said Anthony, who at the time of the murther had her tongue cut out, and foure yeeres remayned dumme and speechlesse, and now perfectly speaketh, reuealing the murther, hauing no tongue to be seen. With the seuerall vvitch-crafts, and most damnable practises of one Iohane Harrison and her daughter vpon seuerall persons, men and women at Royston, who were all executed at Hartford the 4 of August last past. 1606.		1606 (1606)	STC 6553; ESTC S113484	16,624	26

thereof whereupon they shewed her many childrens Coats of seuerall colours and euer as she happened vpon a gréene that she would kisse and cry euer throwing all the rest from her with so louely and liuely action that they were confident the murthered Boy was her brother at last they brought to her the right coat which after she had earnestly taken note of the poore childe grewe to that vehement passion as if in the sight thereof she had seene another brother murthered when by no perswasion offerings gifts nor no course that could be taken to part from the coate as it for the losse of a brother she would kéepe it as a remembrance of him All which signified to the Iustices and Knightes of the Shire the towne had an especiall charge to prouide more carefully for her and not to suffer her any longer to lye in the stréets and her brothers coate was giuen to her to weare out This wonder the onely table-talke in the Countrey though often brought to the widdow Dels eare she made slight of it perswading her sele belike that with her honest report and store of wealth the Childe hauing not a tongue to vtter any thing in her reproofe to wrest out of it which no question she had done notwithstanding all the arguments and instances against her But sée the wonderfull workes of God an example able to make all people that for desire of riches honour promotion or what titles soeuer would be a Murtherer or consent thereunto to loath the thought thereof euen in the creation and content themselues with their estate how meane soeuer rather than séeke to rise by indirect meanes knowing that a guilty conscience Salamander-like liues alwayes in fire that his dayes are dreadfull his nights terrible that he that admits sinne in himselfe kils himselfe that to vnhonest pleasure is begot a companion repenting and enrich himselfe with this saying Somnia bonorum meliora quam malorum And though I liue poore I liue rich in this that I am vertuous I am not a Bond-man to my thoughts nor slaue to my affections Nemo liber qui seruit cupiditatibus This Wench as before is reported being by the direction placed where she had reliefe one day some month before Christmasse last going to play with the Goodwifes daughter where shee soiourned in a Parke ioyning to Hatfield commonly called the Kings Parke as they were in sport together a Cocke hard by them fell a crowing when the other Girle mocking the Cocke with these words Cocka doodle dooe Peggy hath lost her shooe and called to her Besse canst not thou doe so When presently the Girle in the like manner did so which drawing the other child into amazement she presently left her and ran home crying out as she went the dumbe Girle Besse can speake the dumbe Girle Besse can speake The wonder caused all the towne to gather in flocks ran to méet her but the bailiffe and the Constables more discréet than the rest kept the Hurry from her when she answered them to euery question directly and forthwith began in order to reueale the former Murthers as before is mentioned Spéedy newes was carried to all the chéefe men in the Shire who driuen into astonishment with the report and the miraculous accident that a Childe without a tongue should speake both discréetly and distinctly to the reuealing of so monstrous a Murther and by the crowing of a Cocke that bird that put Peter in minde of his great sinne in denying our Sauiour and his Maister was the Herauld to proclaime to this child when she should speak these things that by her the wonderfull workes of God might be glorified and the Murthers discouered But the liues of the Kings Subiects and those which til then had béen reputed honest being now like to depend on her iustification the Iustices were very carefull to sift her by seuerall examinations to see if they could finde her alter or trippe in any part of her former discourse as Sir Raph Conesbye Sir Henrie Butler Maister Auditor and Master Auditor Curle to the number of 14 Knights and graue Gentlemen of note Iustices of peace tooke her seuerall examinations when in the generall there could not be one found that differed in a sillable nay though some of them threatned her with what vengeance God would stir vp for her in hell and plagues here vpon earth if she persisted to be a lyer and a murtherer both which would conclude in her by the death of Dels wife and her sonne if she perseuered in this testimony Others in milder traine dealt with her as by faire perswasions golden promises that frō the state of a beggar where till then she had liued she should now be exalted and maintained by them in the same degrée as their owne children making them stand present obiects to alter her neither of which could make her distant in any thing but in briefe satisfied thē with this answere I must not lye I haue that within me bids me tell truth Notwithstanding this one of Sir Henrie Butlers men to make a further triall of her constancy herein watching her abroad in the same Parke where first her lost spéech was reueald vnto her attired himselfe in a vizard with hornes and as we commonly say like a Diuell and out of a thicket stept before her threatned her that in that place where shee first spake hée would teare her in péeces for belying George Dell and his Mother when the Girle though in common it doth appeare she should haue béen frighted from her constancie onely answered thus Good Gaffer Diuell doe not hurt me I speake nothing but truth and what the thing within me instructeth me to speake With the wonder of this Miracle time passing away people comming from all places to be eye and eare-witnesse thereof the Assizes were to be held at Hartford where according as they were bound George Dell his Mother appeared and being called to their trial as in forme of law in such cases are prouided they pleaded not guiltie when the Girle as boldly in accusing as wonderfull in speaking gaue euidence against them saying that since God had lent her a spéech by miracle shee would with that inspired breath follow the law of them haue their bloods lawfully who stole away her brother Dels wife being yet asked by the Iudge whether such lodged in her house or no who yet continued her denyall when the aforesayd Henrie Whelpley Nicholas Deacon with others were ready to auow the being there besides many credible persons of Hatfield who in the life of her husband being a blinde man and liuing in great discontent together hath often heard him say thou mayst rise a while but a day will come when thy villanies and murthers will appeare when thy fall shall be low ynough Uppon this euidence the Iury going together they were foūd guilty a verdict returned whereupon the Iudge according to course procéeded in sentence against